


A Future Together

by confusedandsnarky



Category: RDG | Red Data Girl
Genre: F/M, Implied Violence, Mild Sexual Content, very mild
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:53:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25764736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/confusedandsnarky/pseuds/confusedandsnarky
Summary: Izumiko Suzahara and Miyuki Sagara have built a future together where Izumiko can to the best of her abilities be a normal girl. But sometimes things get in the way... like secret organizations that want to harness her power for themselves.Set after the sixth Red Data Girl novel, but it should still be understandable if you only ever watched the anime.
Relationships: Izumiko Suzahara/Miyuki Sagara
Comments: 5
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Slight angst with plenty of fluff. Domestic life together.

Izumiko sat cross legged in the center of her apartment living room. She synched her breathing with the gentle music playing from the red laptop specially made for her by her father. With each inhale she allowed herself to sink further and further into her subconscious and with each exhale she loosened the barriers around her mind. When her spiritual powers first awakened during middle school, Izumiko had little control over them. Through much trial and error, she had found ways to not so much control her powers but to influence them in certain directions. Meditation was one method she often used.

Her mind spread out bringing with it an extra awareness of her surroundings. This awareness quickly expanded past the rooms of her apartment and encompassed the sleek, modern apartment building where she lived. She gently shooed away the few impurities she felt lingering nearby. Once, when she was younger, the heavy black spiritual energy had felt evil to her; it had scared her nearly to tears. As she honed her abilities though, she was able to grow past her fear. But the black energy was still uncomfortable, so away she sent it. She expanded her reach once again, reaching across several blocks of businesses and other apartments. People hurriedly moved through the city, a low buzz of energy. Nothing else felt awry. Slowly, almost unconsciously, she brought up her hands to form the symbols that would lay a protective spell over the area.

Before she retreated back into her own mind she felt something-someone-approaching. A small smile quirked at the corners of her lips. She wanted to snap back into her body immediately, but instead she slowly focused once more on her breathing and the long process of reestablishing her mental barriers. Her power coiled back inside and she became aware of only herself: her deep gentle breaths, long hair brushing the soft carpet beneath her, and the slight stiffness of her joints after sitting so long on the floor.

When she opened her eyes, the laptop cut off. For a moment she felt almost consumed by the silence, then the fwip of a page turning broke the quiet. The someone--her someone--had made it home before she had completed her ritual. Izumiko turned her head to find Miyuki sitting on their couch reading through one of his textbooks. Almost instinctively his head came up and he met her eyes when she looked at him. A shy smile spread across Izumiko's lips and one corner of Miyuki's mouth moved up into an almost-smile. He closed his book and set it on the table in front of him. Izumiko pushed herself off the floor with as much grace as she could manage and went to sit beside him.

"You're home earlier than I thought," she said.

Miyuki tangled his fingers in a few strands of her hair and hummed in agreement. He absently played with her brown locks, a far away look on his face. Izumiko had once wanted so badly to cut her hair shorter like her friend Mayura or her mother Yukariko, but before when she was still so unsure of her powers she couldn't cut it. By the time she was ready enough that she no longer needed the protection her hair provided, she couldn't fathom getting rid of it. Her long hair had become a part of her just as much as her powers had. 

Miyuki had been both afraid and enthralled by her hair when they were still in high school. Afraid because of what it represented--the goddess--and enthralled by the beauty of it. As the years passed and he became more comfortable with Izumiko's powers, he also came to love her long beautiful hair. Most of the time she wore her hair in braids like she had throughout her childhood, but at home she let it hang freely around her.

Unexpectedly, Miyuki tipped his head so it was resting against Izumiko's shoulder. She stiffened for a moment then relaxed into his touch, leaning her head against his.

"Hard day?" She whispered.

"Yes. I was followed all day long. It was hard to study. I finally just left campus before my last class of the day and lost them in the city. I'm pretty sure I lost them…" he trailed off, his eyebrows came together in worry.

"You did. I would have felt them. But I only felt you as you approached." She reached out and placed her hand over his. The last six months had been difficult for both of them, but especially Miyuki. A new group had been seeking to gain control over the power of the goddess, over Izumiko. They were sneaky and conniving and not above using underhanded tactics. Izumiko was forced back into hiding for the first time since starting college while the ascetic monks and her friends worked to dismantle the group. Izumiko was taking time off from her studies to lessen the strain for the people trying to protect her, but Miyuki was still going to school. In the time since she'd gone into hiding, he had finished his undergraduate degree and started on his graduate course work. They had once dreamed of doing these things together, but those dreams were on hold for the moment. Miyuki had gotten so angry when she told him about her decision to stop going to school. All these years they'd been together and he had never stopped fighting to forge a path for her that let her do and be whatever she wanted. Izumiko knew his frustration was not with her, but with himself.

Miyuki lifted his head and brought his free hand up to rest against her cheek. Izumiko leaned into his touch, letting her eyes shut for a moment while she reveled in the feel of his fingers against her soft skin. When she opened her eyes again she was met with the intense stare of Miyuki's brown eyes. He seemed like he wanted to say something, but his teeth dug into his bottom lip.

Izumiko squeezed his hand tighter. "It's going to be okay, Miyuki. Mother and Yukimasa and the others will take care of things. You'll see-" She was abruptly cut off when Miyuki placed one finger against her lips. She looked indignant and this brought a smirk to his lips.

"Stop talking," he whispered. Then he replaced his finger with his lips.

Miyuki was not a gentle person, his words often cut bone deep and his glare could freeze you in your place, but for Izumiko he could be gentle. He pressed soft, sweet kisses against her lips, sighing when he felt her melt against him and return his kisses. His hand slowly brushed down her neck and then lightly tangled in her hair at the back of her head the way she liked. For long minutes, they sat like that, drinking each other in. Miyuki quietly tried to reign in his desperation for more. When they broke apart, he kept his eyes downcast so she wouldn't see the storm raging inside him. His desire and his fear all tangled into one.

"Miyuki?" She whispered. He could hear the concern in her voice. Normally, he couldn't be cowed into such a weak position, but it really had been such a hard day. His thumb was unconsciously stroking the side of her neck. She tried again to get his attention but he still couldn't bring himself to look at her.

Izumiko took his hand off her neck and firmly gripped it in her own. "Look at me, Sagara," she said sternly.

Miyuki inwardly flinched but he looked up into Izumiko's grey eyes. That commanding tone still struck him with fear--fear that when he looked into her eyes that it wouldn't be his Izumiko but the goddess. 

Izumiko pouted in front of him. An expression that she saved for only the people closest to her. "Don't hide from me, Miyuki. Not me." She let go of his hand to stroke her delicate fingers across his jaw and through his messy black hair. "I'm right here and I need you," she whispered.

At her words, all the tension left his body. It had taken her so long to tell him those words the first time, and now every time he heard them he couldn't help but react. He brought their foreheads together, dropping a kiss on her nose. His arms came up to wrap her in a tight hug that she returned. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to," he said.

"I know." She shifted her head until she could kiss his forehead, his eyelids, his nose. When their lips met again, she teased and bit until Miyuki was kissing her passionately. He slipped his hands beneath her sweatshirt, sliding up her back and down her ribcage. His hands came to a stop at her waist and he pulled her closer. 

Unexpectedly, Izumiko threw one leg over his lap and pushed him back until she was kneeling above him. A fierce blush colored her face and ears.

Miyuki's hands slid down and came to a halt at her lower back, fingers splayed across the flesh there. "I'm a knight not a horse, you know," he said in a snarky tone.

In her haughtiest voice, Izumiko replied, "And here I thought you were just a page boy." 

After a moment where they both tried to keep their composure the couple broke out in unrestrained giggles. Miyuki laughed into Izumiko's shoulder and in return she buried her face in his hair as they both let out their mirth.

Miyuki leaned back and Izumiko settled more comfortably in his lap. There was no longer a storm behind his eyes. Now there was only that soft look that spoke so plainly of his love more than any words could.

"Do you want to make dinner together?" She asked as she absently toyed with the hair at the nape of his neck.

"I don't know if I'm hungry," he said as he ran his hands across her hips and down her thighs.

"Just channel your inner Manatsu," she said.

Miyuki broke out laughing again. Deep belly laughs. Izumiko smiled, happy to see him relax into the cushions of the couch.

"Better?" She asked.

"Yeah, thanks." He bent forward and pressed his lips to her forehead.

She smiled. "I was serious about dinner, you know. I'm hungry."

"Okay, okay," he replied. Miyuki braced for her weight and stood up before setting her gently on the ground. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I need plenty of energy for later tonight."

Izumiko blushed scarlet at the implication, then happily followed her partner into the kitchen.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izumiko panics when Miyuki disappears. Angst, angst, and a little bit of fluff.

It was late, nearing midnight. Izumiko paced the living room back and forth in an attempt to calm her nerves and keep her powers under her control. Miyuki had left hours ago to retrieve some research materials he wanted from the university library. It should have taken an hour. Two tops. It had been six hours since he had walked out of their apartment.

He just got distracted. Ran into a classmate maybe, she tried to convince herself. He just forgot to text me, she reasoned. But she knew better. Miyuki always let her know where he was, ever since the time he disappeared for a couple days during their first year in high school and Izumiko had freaked out trying to find him. She had tried to call his cell several times but it had no service. 

Around the fourth hour, Izumiko called her mother. 

"Izumiko, is something wrong, dear?" Yukariko asked.

"It's Miyuki...Mom, I think he's in trouble."

Yukariko's detective side activated and she asked Izumiko all sorts of questions, too many of which Izumiko couldn't answer. She was practically hyperventilating by the end of the conversation.

"Izumiko, you have to calm down," her mother said. "Losing control of your powers right now is not going to help Miyuki. We will find him. I promise. Do you understand?"

"I understand," she whispered. She hung up the phone and was left with nothing but her thoughts. She tried to meditate, but a dark foreboding feeling had coiled in the pit of her stomach. So instead, she paced. She kept her breaths even but she still felt like she couldn't get enough air into her lungs. Her eyes and throat burned with the strain of holding back tears.

When she heard a noise outside the apartment, Izumiko tensed, bringing her hands up to cast a protection spell if she needed to. But when the door opened, it wasn't an intruder.

"Miyuki!" Izumiko cried. She stumbled across the room on weak knees to reach him, but stopped just short. He was covered in blood and based on the many tears in his clothes it was his own. He was leaning heavily on a staff that he certainly hadn't had when he left the apartment. 

"I'm okay," he said in a rough voice. He bridged the distance between them, taking her hand in his own. It felt cold.

"No, you're not," she said. Her entire body trembled with the effort to keep everything inside of her. She was seeing flashes of Miyuki pale and bloody in the street, never able to come home to her again. That couldn't happen...she wouldn't let it happen! 

Right when it felt like everything would break free, Miyuki dropped his staff and used their linked hands to pull Izumiko hard against his body. "I'm right here, Izumiko. I'm going to be okay." He peppered kisses in her hair and against her neck. He whispered reassurances in her ear until her shaking stopped. 

The tears she had been holding in fell against Miyuki's shirt, but she no longer felt like she would fall apart. Miyuki wiped the tears away and placed gentle kisses on her cheeks. "Don't cry," he whispered. "Please don't cry."

Izumiko sniffled but managed to stop crying. Her watery eyes met his bone tired gaze. "Miyuki, what happened to you?"

He sighed heavily and pushed one hand up into his hair where he gripped it tightly. "They were following me again, but I didn't think anything of it. I was sure I could lose them in the city like before, but I was wrong. I was stupid." He ground his teeth in an attempt to keep his frustration and anger under control. "They ambushed me. Got in a few good attacks too before I managed to call Wamiya and we protected ourselves." He pressed his forehead to hers and exhaled slowly. "They almost had me, but then Yukimasa showed up. I managed to escape and here I am." 

Izumiko clung to his ruined sweater. She was still upset but also so, so relieved. What if she hadn't called her mother, would Miyuki be standing here now? She shook the thought away. She had and he was and that was all that mattered.

A deep sadness settled into her chest. "We have to leave here now." It wasn't really a question, but she looked up at Miyuki waiting for an answer.

"Yes."

She turned to look at their apartment. The soft beige carpet, her light blue couch, their cluttered coffee table. The kitchen was small and the bedroom didn't have enough closet space, but it was her home. Her home with Miyuki. He was rubbing gentle circles into her back.

"Stop comforting me, silly. You're the one who's hurt."

"I hadn't noticed," he said dryly. She flinched a little at his tone, but when Izumiko looked back into his eyes she was met with that soft look that he saved only for her.

Just then a hard knock resounded against the apartment door. Miyuki shoved her behind him and quickly picked up his staff.

The door opened to reveal Yukimasa. "Oh good!" He said in that smarmy voice of his. "You're alive."

Miyuki dropped his guard, but not entirely. "What happened to them?" He asked.

"You worried about the enemy, Miyuki?" Yukimasa teased.

Even after all these years, Miyuki hadn't learned to take his father's ribbing good naturedly. He bristled and gritted his teeth, trying not to yell when Izumiko's nerves were already so frayed. "No." The word barely managed to grind its way between his teeth and into the open. 

Yukimasa closed the door behind him and casually walked across the living room to elegantly fold himself onto their couch. Even Izumiko was starting to get mad. His son had nearly just died and he walked into their home like nothing was amiss! 

"So," Yukimasa began, "how did this happen?" His eyes were sharp and accusing. 

"They've been following me the last few months. I was always careful that they didn't track me back here. They must have gotten impatient…" Miyuki said.

"Months!" Izumiko squeaked. "You only mentioned something last week!"

"I didn't want you to worry. I could handle it on my own," he said softly to her.

"Obviously not," Yukimasa cut in. His eyes were still sharp on his son. If Miyuki were a cat, every hair on his body would be standing up. Instead his jaw was clenched tight and his knuckles were white with gripping his staff. Yukimasa leaned in, elbows resting on his thighs. "What is the purpose of you if you can't even protect the himegami?"

"Don't call her that. She has a name," Miyuki spit.

"She won't if she's dead!" It was the closest to an angry tone either of them had ever heard from Yukimasa. He usually wore that calm facade so well he was almost impossible to read.

Miyuki deflated. "You're right," he whispered. Izumiko felt the hurt radiating off him. Useless...Inept...Failure, she could almost taste the words in the air. That wasn't right. Izumiko knew that wasn't right. Miyuki was her connection to the world, her rock, her everything. With no Miyuki, Izumiko would have become that terrible goddess she had feared so much. She would have destroyed all of humanity. She needed him.

"Stop it, Sagara." She said with more force than she expected. "You can't come into our home and belittle Miyuki and question my choices." 

"Izumiko," Yukimasa's entire demeanor changed as he brought his hands up in a placating gesture. "He needs to understand."

"He doesn't need your help with that," she shot back. He met her glare and for a long moment it didn't seem as if he would back down. 

Eventually he sighed and acquiesced. "Okay, okay." He looked at Miyuki. "Be more careful, son. Next time I might not be around," he said. For a split second she saw the worry in his eyes, then it was gone. He was all around an awful father, but somewhere deep down he cared about his son.

Izumiko stepped closer to Miyuki until she could lace her fingers with his. "I think you should go now," she told Yukimasa.

"But he hasn't answered my question yet," Miyuki quickly said.

Yukimasa stood and stretched. "They've been apprehended and taken into custody. We'll find out what we can from them, then make sure they can't come after either of you again," he said. He surveyed their apartment and sighed, looking almost sad. "You'll have to be ready to leave in the morning. Yukariko and I will be here early to move you. In the meantime, a couple of our men will be stationed around the building for extra protection. Don't go anywhere until we come for you." They both nodded their understanding. "See you, then," he said in farewell as he walked out the door.

Izumiko hurried to lock the door behind him. She moved back into the room and found Miyuki leaning on his staff heavily again. "Come on," she offered her hand. He took it and let her lead him into the bathroom. 

She made him sit on the toilet while she started a hot bath running. When she turned back he had his face in his hands, visibly sagging. She squatted down in front of him and placed both hands on his knees. The material of his jeans felt grimy beneath her fingers and she fought the urge to pull away. "Miyuki?" She whispered.

He pulled his hands from his face and she saw that tears were leaving clean streaks through the blood and dirt on his face. She took one of his hands in her own and brought it to her face. "It's okay, don't cry," she said.

His eyes closed as he took a steadying breath, but the words he said next still came out shaky, "I thought I was never going to see you again."

"I know. But I'm right here. And you're right here."

"I hate that I had to be saved by Yukimasa."

"I know," she smiled weakly. She glanced over to see the tub nearly full and got up to turn off the water. She went back to Miyuki and stood with her hands on her hips. "Come on. Up. You have to clean up." He stood and let her help him out of his clothes. Light fingers skimmed over his shoulders and chest, reassuring that he was actually still alive and in front of her. Before anything could progress further than that, she pushed him into the stand up shower to rinse off as much of the grime as possible before ushering him into the still steaming bath. He had a lot of cuts and bruises all across his body, but nothing so bad he needed the hospital. Exhaustion was written across his every feature. She left him soaking to go find their small medical kit.

He was asleep in the bathtub when she came back. She giggled at the sight of stern, logical Miyuki falling asleep in the bath like a little kid. She woke him up and helped him out of the water, but he shooed her away so he could dry off and tend to his wounds in peace. She suspected that he just wanted to prove that he didn't need the help.

Izumiko pulled their large suitcase out of the bottom of the bedroom closet and, with a little struggle, plopped it onto their bed. She got to work loading their clothes into the suitcase. Miyuki found her in the bedroom some time later, more than half of their dresser neatly stacked into the case. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her stomach, pulling her against him. He buried his face against her neck and breathed her in. In return, she leaned into him. She closed her eyes and forgot everything for just a moment.

"Packing already?" He asked.

"Yeah, I thought it would be better to get it out of the way."

Miyuki straightened and assessed her work. He told her to grab some more clothes while he rearranged what was already in there to optimize space. Between the two of them they fit all the clothes in their dresser into the suitcase and a few items from the closet. 

"I wonder if we'll be traveling by car," she looked worriedly at the rest of the clothes hanging in the closet. 

Miyuki hefted the suitcase onto the ground and collapsed into the bedding. "Stop stressing about things you can't control and come to bed," he told her.

Izumiko smiled even though he couldn't see her. She flipped the light off and crawled across the covers to curl up against his side. She relaxed with him finally safe and sound next to her. She hadn't realized how much tension she was still holding onto.

She was lightly dozing when she heard the broken whisper, "Izumiko...I'm sorry." 

She pushed herself up so she could look down at him. "Why?"

Miyuki gave her one of his patented are-you-stupid glares. He closed his eyes and sighed. "I was stupid and arrogant. One or both of us could have potentially lost our lives because of me. Because I was sure Wamiya and I could handle anything."

Izumiko leaned down and kissed him to get him to stop talking. She didn't want to think about either of them dying, especially not Miyuki. She slipped her hands under his t-shirt and ran them over the planes of his chest and stomach. He sucked in a sharp breath and groaned when her thumb skimmed across a sensitive spot. 

He rolled them both so he was on top. "Don't think I don't know what you're doing," he chastised.

"Is it working?" she asked a little breathless.

He looked down at her; her hair was still in braided pigtails, she wore mismatched pajamas, and somewhere along the line she had lost one sock. What an airhead, he thought to himself. She was definitely no seductress, and yet she was everything to him.

"Yes," he whispered into her ear before kissing her more earnestly. He worshipped her with his mouth and hands until she was a panting mess beneath him. And then she humbled him, riding him fast and hard until he didn't know up from down. 

Miyuki fell asleep with Izumiko curled on top of his body and his arms wrapped tight around her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When faced with the prospect of being separated, how will our couple respond?

Miyuki woke up to the unpleasant sound of his father's voice. "I see my son is good for something after all," Yukimasa said.

Miyuki reached down, grabbed his shirt off the floor, and threw it at his father. "Get out! What is wrong with you?" He growled at the older man.

Yukimasa put his hands up in the air and walked out of the room, closing the door. On the other side of the wall Miyuki could faintly hear Yukariko say, "I told you to wake them up, not scar them for life." 

Miyuki flopped back onto the pillows. Izumiko was still fast asleep on his chest, oblivious to all the noise and movement. Thankfully he'd managed to wrap them somewhat in the blankets in the middle of the night so his father hadn't seen too much. He scratched gentle circles into her bare shoulder until she stirred and pushed herself up to look down at him.

"Oh, Miyuki. You're up already?" She asked sleepily. She wasn't much of a morning person.

"Our parents are here," he replied.

Izumiko blushed and Miyuki tried not to laugh at how cute she looked. Her hair was a mess--sticking up in a few places and a number of strands poking out of her braids. Miyuki loved seeing her like this. He must not have been able to keep the smile off his face.

"It's not funny, Miyuki. My mom is here and we're naked!" 

He really, really tried not to laugh. When the chuckles escaped anyways, he covered his mouth with one hand while she hit him on the shoulder. After a moment he caught her hand and pressed a kiss to her wrist. "We can be a lot more than just naked if you want," he said with a smirk. 

Izumiko rolled off him and got out of bed, a huge pout on her lips. "You're the worst, Miyuki!" 

This time he laughed outright. She glared at him for a moment, then smiled. She knew he was only teasing her. 

When he tried to roll out of bed too, his entire body screamed at him. "Shit," he whispered as he straightened inch by agonizing inch into a standing position. He was still trying to stretch out his aching muscles when he heard a light knock at the door.

"We're still getting ready!" Izumiko called out in a panic.

"It's okay," her mother's voice floated through the door. "Just try to get a move on. The sooner we leave the better."

"Yes, ma'am!" Miyuki called out politely.

Izumiko was frantically scrambling around the room trying to pick up the clothes strewn about, brush her hair, and find clean clothes all at the same time. Miyuki stopped her and took the brush out of her hand. He unraveled her braids and began to brush her long hair for her.

Her hands were fisted and pressed against her chest, a stress response. "Mother said to hurry, Miyuki," she whined. 

"No, she said to get a move on. Big difference," he soothed. By the time he finished running the brush through her long hair, she was a little less tightly wound. "One thing at a time, okay?"

She nodded. She took a deep breath in and let it out slowly. A little calmer, she found the clean clothes she had left out the night prior and got dressed. Miyuki followed suit. They both felt a little grimey putting on clean clothes without showering first, but there was nothing to be done about it now. While Izumiko braided her hair, Miyuki finished tidying up the room and dragged their suitcase out into the living room. She could hear him explaining about the clothes that hadn't fit into the suitcase and her mother's reassurance that anything important would be boxed up and brought to them in the next few days.

We must not be going far, Izumiko thought vaguely. When she finished with her hair, she quickly checked her appearance in the mirror: sensible shoes, light green knee-length dress, and a white cardigan with buttons. Everything looked alright. She stepped out into the main room with everyone else. 

Miyuki stood stiffly by the door, pointedly not looking at his father. Yukimasa was once again lounging on their couch like he owned the place. And Yukariko was flipping through a book while leaning against the kitchen counter. Izumiko stood awkwardly by the door for a moment, then announced she would pack up their toiletries really quick so they could leave.

"Don't bother," Yukimasa said as he stood. Miyuki stiffened but managed not to say anything. The older man continued, "We can get anything you need after we get where we're going."

"Where are we going?" Izumiko asked innocently.

Yukariko cut in, "I don't think it's safe to say anything just yet. We'll tell you when it's safe to."

They both nodded.

From the apartment, they took a car north into the next prefecture. They changed over into a helicopter and flew southwest to Kyoto. They took a bullet train from Kyoto to Osaka, then rented another car in Osaka. By this time, Izumiko had a strong suspicion of where they were going but didn't say anything.

When they were safely in the Kii Peninsula, Yukariko finally told them where they were going. 

"Mt. Tamakura?" Miyuki said in surprise. "But isn't that where they would expect us to go?"

"Maybe, maybe not," Yukimasa said. "We hopefully led them in the wrong direction, but even if we didn't, Tamakura is going to be better protected than just about anywhere else we could go." 

Everyone was quiet for a long moment. Izumiko's whisper broke the silence, "It'll be nice to be home again. It's been so long."

Miyuki had been on the brink of protesting, if only because the reasoning had come from his father. Instead, he reached across the backseat and covered Izumiko's hand with his own. Neither of them wanted to argue after that and their parents didn't seem to have any more information to offer up, so the whole car grew quiet as they sped down the darkened streets of the highway.

Miyuki woke up when he felt the car stop, never realising he'd fallen asleep. A glance over at Izumiko showed she was in a similar situation. Yukimasa and Yukariko were getting out of the car, so Miyuki followed suit. They were in a familiar parking lot at the base of Mt. Tamakura. He stretched, bones popping, and watched as Izumiko got out of the car. Her eyes closed as she breathed deeply of the crisp mountain air; a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Miyuki saw her entire body relax in a way he hadn't seen in months. 

They were greeted at the bottom of the mountain by Izumiko's grandfather Takeomi, Sawa, and Nonomura. Izumiko hugged her grandfather and Sawa and even offered a bright smile for Nonomura. Miyuki respectfully bowed to the older adults and offered as cheerful a greeting as he could manage. Soon, they were all walking up the steps that led to the shrine and pilgrim's lodge above. Nonomura carried their suitcase, an action for which Miyuki was deeply thankful. He didn't think at this point he could have lifted the heavy luggage much less carried it. 

It was getting late, but Sawa had a large meal set out at the table. Everyone sat down to enjoy dinner. Somehow, Izumiko and Miyuki were separated at the table. She sat between her mother and Sawa. Miyuki put all his effort into not pouting, especially when Izumiko looked so happy. It would be fine, he reassured himself. They would go to bed soon, then he could hold her close.

His plan did not come to fruition as he hoped. When Izumiko started to nod off at the table, Sawa stood up and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Come on, sweety. We have your room ready for you upstairs." Izumiko, half asleep on her feet, followed her caretaker out of the room. A look of confusion crossed Miyuki's face.

Takeomi spoke up, "Miyuki, we have a room prepared for you in the lodge." His tone was stern and brooked no argument. Miyuki ground his teeth together to keep his temper under control. "Do you understand?" Takeomi asked.

"Yes, sir," Miyuki replied. And he did. They weren't married. Even though Izumiko's family tolerated her living with him for the past six months, it didn't change that it wasn't proper. Miyuki wanted to rage and lash out, but didn't. Instead, he politely excused himself from the table and followed Nonomura to the lodge. 

When they arrived at the room designated for him, Miyuki couldn't squash the lonely sigh that escaped from between his lips. Nonomura looked at him with sympathy in his eyes, but didn't offer any words of wisdom like he normally would. He simply clapped his hand down onto Miyuki's shoulder for a long moment. Miyuki nodded his thanks and Nonomura walked away. 

Miyuki felt tired down to his bones, even after the nap in the car. With some effort, he stripped out of his clothes and donned the pajamas someone had laid out for him. They were not his own, but they were clean and they fit. 

The room was on the smaller side. A futon was set out on the floor for him with a thick blanket to combat the cold, but there wasn't much else. Another sigh escaped his lips. He laid down on his futon and waited for sleep. It didn't come easily. The silence pressed down on him. He'd gotten so used to having Izumiko next to him that it felt wrong to be alone again. The exhaustion eventually won out and he fell into a fitful sleep. 

He woke up in the dead of night, sitting up to frantically look around the room. Nothing was there, and yet…

He felt something heavy in the pit of his stomach. Something was off. He stood with a groan and left his room. The lodge was quiet, but the darkness seemed to swirl around him. He got a sinking suspicion. 

Outside the lodge was equally quiet and dark. The air felt wrong. Now he was sure; he was on a different plane.

"Wamiya!" He called. The black crowd appeared on his shoulder. "What happened?" He asked. 

"Suzuhara doesn't know she's made a separate plane. She's still sleeping. Her powers are so much stronger here than in Tokyo. Her strong desire to be alone with you must have created this plane," Wamiya explained.

"And she did all this in her sleep?" Miyuki said in surprise.

"The subconscious mind is a powerful thing," the crow responded. 

"Alright. You can go for now. I'll call you if I need you." Wamiya took off and disappeared into the night. It was strange being on another plane with no enemies to fight. Miyuki thought it was almost peaceful, almost. He walked into the house and the silence was close to oppressive. His hands fisted and he quickly walked through the house and up the stairs. 

He found Izumiko's old bedroom easily. He opened the door and there she was, curled into a ball under the covers of the bed. For the first time since she had walked away from the dinner table, Miyuki felt like he could pull in a full breath of air again. 

He sat on the edge of the bed beside her and gently ran his hand up and down her back. She looked troubled. Her eyebrows pressed together and her hands were clenched into fists beside her face. Miyuki leaned down and pressed kisses to her face until she stirred and began to wake up. 

"Miyuki?" Izumiko whispered groggily. Then she sat bolt upright and called out his name again. She threw her arms around him. Before he had time to do more than wrap his arms around her, she was sobbing against his shoulder. 

"What's wrong?" He asked in a soothing voice. 

"I heard them talking. They want to send you away! I won't let them!" 

"Who wants to send me away?" He was gently rubbing circles against her back. 

"Mother and Grandfather! They said if they sent you to America maybe the group that's after the Goddess would follow you there." She was still crying. "I won't let them!" 

"It's okay. I'm not going anywhere," he whispered into her ear.

"I'm so sorry, Miyuki. I've ruined everything. All our plans, our future, I ruined it." She cried. 

Miyuki pushed her away gently so he could look into her eyes. "You didn't ruin anything, Izumiko."

"Yes, I did," she sniffled.

"You get stubborn about the weirdest things," he teased. He briefly pressed a kiss to her forehead. In a stronger voice he said, "I don't care about the future, as long as we're together."

"But what about school?"

"School doesn't matter if I don't have you," he said. When the words came out of his mouth, he realized how true they were. It didn't matter where or what he did, as long as they were together 

"Miyuki, what are we going to do about what Mother said? About sending you away." She was calmer but only by a little. 

"We don't let them. We may need their protection, but we aren't children to be ordered to do whatever they want." His gaze was sharp. "If you told me to go, I would. But not for them."

Izumiko nodded. She reached up and skimmed her fingers along his jaw. He had the slightest of stubble growing and Izumiko enjoyed the feel of the rough hairs beneath her hand. "I missed you," she whispered. 

He leaned into her touch. "I missed you too." 

When their lips met, the kiss was slow and sweet. Even when Izumiko dragged Miyuki down to the bed, nothing was rushed. Patient hands, patient fingers, and a slow rhythmic pace. 

Izumiko laid comfortably in Miyuki's arms afterward. She traced her fingers lightly along his arm, almost in a trance. They had shifted back into the real world sometime during their act of making love. Izumiko was none the wiser, but Miyuki felt the change in the air. 

Like the night before it was Miyuki who broke the silence, "Marry me, Izumiko."

"What?" She asked in shock. 

"Marry me. Then they can't separate us," he said. He held her tighter, "And because I love you."

Izumiko broke free of his embrace to look down at him. His face was serious. "Are you sure?" She asked. "There'd be no turning back."

Miyuki tugged on one of her braids playfully. "It's already too late for that. Everything I could possibly want is right in front of me." That soft, sweet look was in his eyes. 

A huge smile spread across her face. "Yes." 

They talked for close to an hour before they both fell asleep from exhaustion. In the morning, after their announcement, Miyuki distinctly heard his father whisper "I told you it would work" to Takeomi. He didn't care. As he watched Izumiko talking excitedly to her mother and Sawa, he was happy with his choices. Whatever came next, they would face it together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Two notes of clarification:
> 
> First, when Izumiko overhears the conversation between her mother and grandfather she has slipped into the astral plane. 
> 
> Second, when Yukimasa says "told you it would work" he is referring to his plan to get Miyuki to propose by putting them in separate rooms. Neither of them thought it would work out that fast. 
> 
> If you're wondering about the rest with the organization etc. I imagine that they get a lot of good information out of the goons that Yukimasa captured and were able to take them down over the next few months. (Yukimasa might be a bad dad but he beat the shit out of those goons for what they did to his son. They were too afraid not to talk). In my mind a lot of Yukimasa's bad parenting is a result of his role in the ascetic monk organization, and also because he just doesn't understand his too-serious son. Not because he doesn't care.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't really know where this story will take me and whether or not there will be note chapters. I wrote the original piece as a one shot but my friend has been trying to encourage me to write more..


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